Ambulatory toy.



T. D. WOOLSON.

AMBULATOHY TOY.

APPLICATION FILED IAII.'II, Isle.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l HIIII IIIIIIIIIIIHI IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I @nue/nto@ Zazasl?. W50 son T. n. wooLsoN.v

AMBULATORY TOY.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 8. |916.

mm a 2 w Z w, W A. 1A 2 4 3 j qm Am bw 4 s 4 m Z me nunms persas cc.. uowlumo.. wAsmNcmN. o. r:4

THOMAS D. VOOLSON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AMBULATORY TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

Application filed. January 8, 1916. Serial No. 71,032.`

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS D. WooLsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of'Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful mprovements in Ambulatory Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ambulatory toys comprising in connection withan ambulatory figure having legs to simulate walking or running, propelling means in the form of a motor truck which serves to actuate the figure.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an ambulatory figure embodying certain. mechanism for simulating the act of walking or running, combined with a propelling agent preferably consisting of a motor truck which furnishes the power to propel the ambulatory figure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of toyof the class above referred to in which the ambulatory ligure and the truck may be readily connected and disconnected; also means for adjusting the directional angle of the ambulatory figure with reference to the longitudinal axis of the propelling truck so that the toy as a whole may be caused to describe a circle of any desired radius or proceed in a rectilinear path.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts,

as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the complete toy of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the motor truck showing the spring motor.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the forward portion of the truck, showing the combined thill support and angle adjuster, also showing the means for coupling the ambulatory figure' to the truck and adjusting the angle of said figure in relation to the running gear of the truck.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the figure taken at right angles to the crank shaft.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the figure taken at right angles to Fig. 4. j

The ambulatory figure which is designated generally at A is shown as representing a man, 1 designating the body of the ligure, 2 the arms thereof and 3 a substantially semi-circular or arcuate handle bar the opposite extremities of which are fastened to the hands 4, said handle bar being made detachably connected to the running gear of the vehicle as will hereinafter appear.

D rThe body 1 is preferably of-hollow formatron and contains therein a bearing plate 5 having a depending bearing post 6 formed at its lower end with a bearing 7 for a crank shaft 8 having two crank arms 9 each connected by a wrist pin 10 to one of a pair of-legs l1, each leg being provided at its lower eXtremity'with a foot 12, the feet having downwardly extending barbs or spikes 13 adapted to obtain a positive engagement with a floor, carpet or other surface on which thetoy is being operated so as to insure the proper working of the legs of the figure as the same is propelled.

ln connection with each leg, l employ a leg guiding member 14 the lower portion of which is of tubular formation so as to represent a trouser leg and the upper portion of which is formed with a longitudinal guide way 15 in which the upper portion of the adjacent leg is slidable. The leg guiding members are connected at their upper ends to the bearing plate by means of a pin or pivot 16 which is located in rearv of a vertical line passing through the crank shaft thereby giving to the figure a general backward inclination the object of which is to insure the walking movement of the ligure and prevent the legs getting on a dead center. The arrangement just referred to prevents the occurrence of a dead center at the time when both feet are in Contact with the ground or floor surface and thereby insures the forward movement of the figure whenever propelling force is applied thereto by the means hereinafter described.

The motor truck which is designated generally at B is shown as comprising a vbody 16, front and rear axles 17 and 18, respectively, carrying wheels 19 and forwardly extending shafts or thills 20, the forward extremities of the shafts or thills being groovedor recessed at 21 to partially embrace the handle bar 3 of the figure. Adjacent to their forward' ends the shafts or thills are connected by a cross bar 22 having a U-shaped clip 23 about the center thereof carrying a set screw 24 adapted to bear against the semicircular handle bar 3. By loosening the set screw 24, the gure may be detached from the running gear or may be turned toward one side or the other for directional or steering purposes, it being evident that when the figure is turned out of line with the normal straight ahead path of the vehicle, the figure will follow a curved or circular course as it is propelled in a forward direction by the vehicle or truck.

C. designates generally a spring motor which'is geared to the rear axle of the truck, the rear wheels having` their treads or tires roughened to obtain the necessary traction on ythe surface upon which the truck is op erating. The motor is adapted to be wound by. means of a suitable key (not shown) applied to the projecting end of the main spring winding shaft 26 designates a combined thrill support and adjusting device for the thills or shafts, said device con-v sisting of a piece of spring metal fastened by means of a screw 27 to the truck body and having a forwardly sloping end portion terminating in a curved extremity :28 which underlies and bears Vin contact with a cross rod or bar29 connecting the shafts or thillsA The device just referred to acts as a support for the thills when the ambulatory figure is detached therefrom and also serves as a device for holding the thills at any desired angleV with relation to the body of the vehicle so that the front axle, being at an angle to the rear axle will cause the truck to move in a circular path.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will now be understood that the propel ling mechanism is mounted on the truck. In other words, I employ a motor truck as the actuating or propelling means for the ambulatory figure, said figure having no pro- Copies of this patent may be obtained for peiling means in itself Vbut merely means for directing the movements of the legs of the ligure so as to produce a Walking movement the efficiency of which is insured by the relative location of the centers of the crank shafts and the pivots of the leg guiding members. Y

Having thus described my invention, claim l. An ambulatory figure, comprising a body, a crank shaft therein, leg guiding members having a pivotal connection only with the body at a point above and in rear of a vertical line passing through the center of the crankshaft, and legs connected to and Vdirected Vby said crank shaft and having a sliding engagement only with said leg guiding members. V

2. An ambulatory figure, lcomprising a body, a crank shaft therein, leg guiding members having a pivotal connection only with the body at a point above and in rear of a vertical line passing through the center of the crank shaft, legs connected to and directed by said crank shaft and having i sliding engagement only with said leg guiding members, arms extending from the bony of said yligure, an arcuate bar connecting said arms, a motor truck for actuating said Vfigure, thills extending from the truck to said arcuate bar, and means for adjusting Vthe latter longitudinally in relation to the thills. y

y In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- THOS. D. VVOOLSON.

1Witnesses Y Y HENRY EISLA, H. O. SCHNEIDER.

five cents each, by addressing vthe Commssionerof Patents, Washington, D. C. 

